Chicago Bears vs

Los Angeles Rams Prediction

Los Angeles Rams Preview

Just when you start to believe in the Rams, they let you down. L.A. got off to a 4-1 start with the team’s only loss being against the Bills in a game the Rams nearly won. However, they went into Levi’s Stadium as favorites on Sunday night and left as 24-16 losers. Granted, one loss isn’t the end of the world. But in a division as tight and competitive as the NFC West, one loss can make a big difference, especially against a divisional opponent. The Rams don’t exactly have a favorable schedule moving forward, as just two of their remaining 10 opponents have a losing record. That means they need to bounce back quickly before one loss becomes multiple losses.

The Rams bouncing back begins with quarterback Jared Goff. He’s looked excellent at times this season. But at other times, he’s struggled with his accuracy and consistency. He had his second subpar outing in the last three weeks against the 49ers, so he’s in need of a confidence boost. Fortunately for the Rams, the emergence of Darrell Henderson has given them a reliable running game to support Goff. Now it’s up to Goff to make the most of the help around him.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Rams are back to being one of the best in the NFL. Admittedly, they had a bad game against the 49ers. But they are still conceding just 19 points per game, which puts them among the top-5 defenses in the league. They still have one of the biggest difference-makers in football with Aaron Donald, who’s leading the way with 7.5 of the team’s 20 sacks. Even with no sacks against San Francisco last week, the Rams are still averaging better than three sacks per game, so it’s not a stretch to think the L.A. defense can bounce back quickly after last week’s loss.

Chicago Bears Preview

We remain skeptical of the Bears, but they keep finding a way to win one-score games, usually as the underdog. Just to switch things up, Chicago actually played most of last week’s game against Carolina with a lead rather than relying on a fourth-quarter comeback. The win combined with a Green Bay loss put the Bears alone atop the NFC North standings. However, Chicago’s schedule between now and the end of November looks to be a gauntlet with road games against the Rams, Titans, and Packers. However, the Bears have done a good job of building themselves a cushion and positioning themselves for a playoff run, even if holding off Green Bay for the division crown won’t be that easy.

Under the leadership of Nick Foles, the Chicago offense isn’t exactly clicking on all cylinders. Foles is averaging less than six yards per pass and is comparable to Mitch Trubisky in passing yards per game. Also, the Bears aren’t getting much from their running game, especially without Trubisky in the game to contribute when plays break down. Nevertheless, Foles is doing just enough each week to give the Bears a chance. He’s avoiding sacks and doing his best to get the ball to Allen Robinson, which is Chicago’s best offense at the moment.

Needless to say, the Chicago defense has been the catalyst for the team’s 5-1 record. The Bears aren’t quite at the top of the league defensively, but they’ve conceded 19 points or less in three straight weeks, which has been enough to give the Chicago offense a fighting chance. Over the last two weeks, the Bears have amassed seven sacks and created four takeaways, which is a sign that things are moving in the right direction. For the most part, Chicago has remained healthy this year on that side of the ball, which is allowing the defense to gel and get closer to the level they reached two years ago when the Bears won the NFC North.

Full Game Prediction

The Chicago defense will no doubt be a stiff challenge for Goff and the Rams this week. With a good performance by Goff, there’s little chance that Foles and the Chicago offense will be able to match the Rams’ offensive output. But if the Bears can keep the Rams to 20 points or less, they’ll give themselves a chance to pull off yet another win as an underdog, which has been Chicago’s specialty this year.

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